Multifunctional PEG modified DOX loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle@CuS nanohybrids as photo-thermal agent and thermal-triggered drug release vehicle for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

Photodynamic antibacterial research on hypericin-loaded PEGylated mesoporous silica delivery system

In this study, a novel drug delivery system (MSN-PEG-Hypericin) was successfully fabricated using tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as raw materials, and the PEGylation of the prepared aminated mesoporous silica and grafting of hypericin onto the carrier were further conducted to obtain MSN-PEG-Hypericin. The successful preparation of MSN-PEG-Hypericin was characterized by several physical-chemical techniques. Furthermore, the MSN-PEG-Hypericin system increased the ability of hypericin to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro. The cytotoxicity assay and hemolysis analysis showed that MSN-PEG-Hypericin had good biocompatibility. For antibacterial studies, the irradiation time and incubation time of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for S. aureus and E. coli were respectively 8 min and 8 h, and the concentrations of hypericin were 2.5 and 5 μg/mL. The result of triphenyl tetrazolium chloride assay indicated that MSN-PEG-Hypericin had stronger photodynamic antibacterial activity than free hypericin, and S. aureus was more sensitive to PDT than E. coli, which was related to their cell structural differences. The antibacterial mechanism study indicated that the generated ROS could destroy the bacterial structures and cause bacterial death due to the leakage of the contents. The MSN-PEG-Hypericin system prepared in this study had potential application prospects in the antibacterial field.

A Multifunctional, Highly Biocompatible, and Double-Triggering Caramelized Nanotheranostic System Loaded with Fe3O4 and DOX for Combined Chemo-Photothermal Therapy and Real-Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Monitoring of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Purpose

Owing to lack of specific molecular targets, the current clinical therapeutic strategy for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still limited. In recent years, some nanosystems for malignancy treatment have received considerable attention. In this study, we prepared caramelized nanospheres (CNSs) loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and Fe₃O₄ to achieve the synergistic effect of combined therapy and real-time magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) monitoring, so as to improve the diagnosis and therapeutic effect of TNBC.

Methods

CNSs with biocompatibility and unique optical properties were prepared by hydrothermal method, DOX and Fe₃O₄ were loaded on it to obtain Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs nanosystem. Characteristics including morphology, hydrodynamic size, zeta potentials and magnetic properties of Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs were evaluated. The DOX release was evaluated by different pH/near-infrared (NIR) light energy. Biosafety, pharmacokinetics, MRI and therapeutic treatment of Fe₃O₄@CNSs, DOX and Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs were examined in vitro or in vivo.

Results

Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs has an average particle size of 160 nm and a zeta potential of 27.5mV, it demonstrated that Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs is a stable and homogeneous dispersed system. The hemolysis experiment of Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs proved that it can be used in vivo. Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs displayed high photothermal conversion efficiency, extensive pH/heat-induced DOX release. 70.3% DOX release is observed under the 808 nm laser in the pH = 5 PBS solution, obviously higher than pH = 5 (50.9%) and pH = 7.4 (less than 10%). Pharmacokinetic experiments indicated the t1/2β, and AUC_0-t of Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs were 1.96 and 1.31 -fold higher than those of DOX solution, respectively. Additionally, Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs with NIR had the greatest tumor suppression in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, this nanosystem demonstrated distinct contrast enhancement on T2 MRI to achieve real-time imaging monitoring during treatment.

Conclusion

Fe₃O₄/DOX@CNSs is a highly biocompatible, double-triggering and improved DOX bioavailability nanosystem that combines chemo-PTT and real-time MRI monitoring to achieve integration of diagnosis and treatment of TNBC.

Egg-yolk core-shell mesoporous silica nanoparticles for high doxorubicin loading and delivery to prostate cancer cells

Mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles (MSNs) have gained rapid interest as a drug delivery system (DDS) and demonstrated their versatility in delivering drugs for the treatment of various cancers. However, the drug loading efficiency of MSNs is low and is usually improved by improving textural properties through complicated synthesis methods or by post synthesis modification of the surface that can result in the loss of surface area and modify its drug release properties. In this study, we report a direct single-step synthesis of MSNs with a unique egg-yolk core-shell morphology, large pore volume and a hydrophilic surface, decorated with nitrogen rich surface functionalities for increasing its drug loading capacity. This combination of excellent textural properties and surface functionalisation was achieved by a simple soft templating method using dual surfactants and the silica sources assisted by employing either triethylamine (TEA) or triethanolamine (TEO) as the hydrolysis agent. The morphology and well-ordered mesoporous structure can simply be tuned by changing the pH of the synthesis medium that affects the self-assembly mechanism of the micelles. HRTEM image of samples clearly revealed an egg-yolk core-shell morphology with a thin mesoporous silica shell. The optimised MSN samples synthesized at a pH of 11 using either TEA or TEO depicted a higher doxorubicin (Dox) loading capacity of 425 μg mg^-1 and 481 μg mg^-1 respectively, as compared to only 347 μg mg^-1 for MSN samples due to the uniform distribution of nitrogen functionalities. The anticancer activity of Dox loaded MSNs evaluated in two different prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and LNCaP) showed a higher cytotoxicity of the drug loaded on optimised MSN samples as compared to pristine MSNs without affecting the cellular uptake of the particles. These results suggest that the unique single-step synthesis and functionalisation method resulted in successfully achieving higher drug loading in egg-yolk core-shell nitrogen functionalised MSNs and could be implemented as an effective carrier of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor. It is ranked the sixth most common neoplasm and the third most common cause of cancer mortality. At present, the most common treatment for HCC is surgery, but the 5-year recurrence rates are still high. Patients with early stage HCC with few nodules can be treated with resection or radiofrequency ablation (RFA); while for multinodular HCC, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been the first-line treatment. In recent years, based on medical engineering cooperation, nanotechnology has been increasingly applied to the treatment of cancer. Photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy are effective for cancer. This paper summarizes the latest progress of photodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy for HCC, with the aim of providing new ideas for the treatment of HCC.

Construction and antitumor activity of selenium nanoparticles decorated with the polysaccharide extracted from Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. (Rutaceae)

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), a potential cancer therapeutic agent, have attracted widespread attention owing to their high bioavailability and remarkable anticancer activity. Nevertheless, the poor water solubility and dispersibility of SeNPs seriously limit their applications. In the present study, we synthesized stable and individual spherical selenium nanoparticles (CL90-Tw-SeNP2) with an average diameter of approximately 79 nm using a polysaccharide extracted from Citrus limon (CL90) and Tween-80 as the decorator and stabilizers. The proportion of selenium in CL90-Tw-SeNP2 was 10.6%. CL90-Tw-SeNP2 possessed high stability and good dispersion in water for more than three months. The subsequent biological assay revealed that CL90-Tw-SeNP2 showed remarkable antitumor effects against HepG2 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 49.13 μg/mL, by inducing cell apoptosis. Furthermore, an in vivo zebrafish assay to explore possible applications indicated that CL90-Tw-SeNP2 could inhibit the proliferation and migration of tumors and the zebrafish angiogenesis. These results indicated that CL90-Tw-SeNP2 could be a potential agent for cancer treatment, especially against human liver hepatoma cancer.

Multifunctional theranostic nanosystems enabling photothermal-chemo combination therapy of triple-stimuli-responsive drug release with magnetic resonance imaging

Theranostic nanosystems are emerging as a promising approach for controlled drug delivery, diagnosis and multimodal therapeutics. Herein, a multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform is reported for photothermal-chemo combination therapy functioned with magnetic and thermal imaging. Hyaluronic acid (HA) coated Fe3O4@polydopamine nanoparticles equipped with redox-sensitive disulfide linkers have been subsequently deposited with an anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX) (termed as FPCH-DOX NPs). These nanocomposites possess an average diameter of 120 nm, a saturation magnetization of 28.5 emu g-1, DOX loading capacity of 7.13% and a transverse relaxation rate of 171.76 mM-1 s-1. The drug release could be triggered by pH, glutathione (GSH) concentration and light irradiation. Prussian blue staining and confocal microscopy demonstrate that these nanoplatforms have improved biocompatibility and cellular uptake in CD44-positive HeLa cell lines rather than in CD44-negative NIH 3T3 normal cell lines. In vitro evaluations demonstrate that the combination therapy of FPCH-DOX NPs lowers the cell viability to 16.2%, less than that of individual chemotherapy (55.3%) or PTT (52.1%). In vivo MRI indicates that the tumor accumulation of FPCH-DOX NPs provides enhanced MRI contrast, and in vivo thermal imaging verified their localized photothermal conversion effect in tumor tissues. Importantly, FPCH-DOX NPs present remarkable anti-tumor efficacy by photothermal-chemo combination therapy. H&E and Ki67 staining tests show obvious necrosis and weak cell proliferation at the region of the tumor. Thus, FPCH-DOX NPs are promising multifunctional nanoplatforms for highly effective cancer theranostics.

Indocyanine Green Loaded Modified Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as an Effective Photothermal Nanoplatform

Photothermal therapy possesses great advantages for the treatment of drug-resistant tumors. Herein, Near Infrared (NIR)-triggered photothermal nanoparticles were developed through loading indocyanine green (ICG), a kind of NIR dye, into amino group-modified silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NH₂ NPs). SiO₂-NH₂ NPs were prepared with immobilization of the amino groups into the framework of silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) by employing (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES). Before and after the modification of the amino group, the particle sizes of SiO₂ NPs showed similar value, around 100 nm. ICG was further adsorbed into SiO₂-NH₂ NPs by electrostatic attraction to enable SiO₂-NH₂@ICG NPs as a kind of photothermal agent. The loading rate of ICG to SiO₂-NH₂ was greatly increased compared to unmodified SiO₂, and the stability of ICG was also improved. Moreover, the SiO₂-NH₂@ICG NPs exhibited efficient photothermal effects due to ICG transforming laser power into local heat through the connected ICG, when NIR laser irradiation turned on for a couple of minutes. Finally, the in vitro antitumor efficacy of SiO₂-NH₂@ICG NPs was investigated by recording cell proliferation rate and further chronicled the apoptotic morphology evidence by a Calcein-AM/PI fluorescent staining assay, indicating the efficient photothermal targeted therapy for the HepG2 tumor cells.

Emerging and Innovative Theranostic Approaches for Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Status and Advances

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal solid cancers globally. To improve diagnosis sensitivities and treatment efficacies, the development of new theranostic nanoplatforms for efficient HCC management is urgently needed. In the past decade, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with tailored structure, large surface area, high agents loading volume, abundant chemistry functionality, acceptable biocompatibility have received more and more attention in HCC theranostic. This review outlines the recent advances in MSNs-based systems for HCC therapy and diagnosis. The multifunctional hybrid nanostructures that have both of therapy and diagnosis abilities are highlighted. And the precision delivery strategies of MSNs in HCC are also discussed. Final, we conclude with our personal perspectives on the future development and challenges of MSNs.

RETRACTED: In vitro and in vivo evaluation of degradation, toxicity, biodistribution, and clearance of silica nanoparticles as a function of size, porosity, density, and composition

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the corresponding author. Subsequent to the publication of the article Journal of Controlled Release 311–312 (2019) 1–15, in follow up studies in 2021, the corresponding author's lab members noticed significant discrepancies in reproducibility of some of the results reported in this manuscript. A detailed investigation in the lab was launched, and by retrieving the raw data available at the core facility pertaining to this manuscript, the following discrepancies were discovered that provide the basis for this retraction. These discrepancies have been reported to the University of Utah Research Integrity and Compliance Office by the corresponding author. The co-authors have been made aware of these discrepancies and of the decision of the corresponding author to retract. The corresponding author believes that the subject matter of this article, detailed analysis of the degradation of silica nanoparticles as a function of their physicochemical properties in relevant biological media in vitro, and in vivo, is significant. For successful utility of these particles in drug delivery applications their detailed biological fate needs to be examined. The significant discrepancies and lack of reproducibility of the reported data however is very unfortunate and the author hopes that this does not cast a doubt on the need for more detailed examination of the biological fate of silica nanoparticles in the future for their successful application in controlled release. In Vitro Data (Fig. 3) • Actual dissolution reaction volume was 2.5mL (confirmed by reviewing the lab notebook of the first author during the investigation) vs 3.5mL reported in the manuscript. • Sample volume was not used in the calculation to convert Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) data to mg of silicon retrieved which is needed to calculate % degradation (needed to multiply data by 0.1 due to 0.1mL sample volumes). • Our investigation revealed a 20% “matrix effect with fluids” was communicated by ICPMS core facility person to the first author that was not addressed in the manuscript. • All data is different when calculating % degradation, not just by a factor of 10 due to not calculating for the 100ml sample volume. • Raw data during our investigation after publication, obtained from ICPMS facility, and not noted in the lab notebook, for day 28 of simulated lysosomal fluid (SLF) reveals n=1 and no data points for Stober100. In the manuscript however, error bars are shown for all particles at this time point and for the data for Stober100. Intracellular Degradation (Fig. 5) • Extremely high background with control causing negative % degradation for Disulfide Meso 100 from retrieved ICPMS data from core facility after publication, but manuscript shows ~1.25% degradation. • All other calculated % degradation based on retrieved data from ICPMS facility during the investigation after publication, do not match reported data in the paper. • Paper claims n=6, but raw data received from ICPMS facility during investigation (after publication) is clearly n=3. In Vivo Degradation (Fig. 6) ICPMS data retrieved during the investigation after publication for control mice showed extremely high background, and probably were not used in the calculations reported in this manuscript because it would have led to negative silicon contents for a few samples. Urine ICPMS data from the core facility was not available during investigation after publication, and cannot be retrieved from the first author's lab notebook. Hence its validity cannot be ascertained. There may be other discrepancies in the manuscript that have gone unnoticed. However, the Editor-in-Chief agrees that the above is significant enough to warrant retraction of the manuscript.

Inorganic nanomaterials for chemo/photothermal therapy: a promising horizon on effective cancer treatment

During the last few decades, nanotechnology has established many essential applications in the biomedical field and in particular for cancer therapy. Not only can nanodelivery systems address the shortcomings of conventional chemotherapy such as limited stability, non-specific biodistribution and targeting, poor water solubility, low therapeutic indices, and severe toxic side effects, but some of them can also provide simultaneous combination of therapies and diagnostics. Among the various therapies, the combination of chemo- and photothermal therapy (CT-PTT) has demonstrated synergistic therapeutic efficacies with minimal side effects in several preclinical studies. In this regard, inorganic nanostructures have been of special interest for CT-PTT, owing to their high thermal conversion efficiency, application in bio-imaging, versatility, and ease of synthesis and surface modification. In addition to being used as the first type of CT-PTT agents, they also include the most novel CT-PTT systems as the potentials of new inorganic nanomaterials are being more and more discovered. Considering the variety of inorganic nanostructures introduced for CT-PTT applications, enormous effort is needed to perform translational research on the most promising nanomaterials and to comprehensively evaluate the potentials of newly introduced ones in preclinical studies. This review provides an overview of most novel strategies used to employ inorganic nanostructures for cancer CT-PTT as well as cancer imaging and discusses current challenges and future perspectives in this area.

Reactive oxygen species-responsive nanoparticles based on a thioketal-containing poly(β-amino ester) for combining photothermal/photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanoparticles based on a thioketal-containing poly(β-amino ester) show great potential for cancer photodynamic therapy.

Apoferritin nanocages with Au nanoshell coating as drug carrier for multistimuli-responsive drug release

Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an effective method of tumor therapy. Herein, we designed a new type of composite particle, apoferritin (APO) encapsulated doxorubicin (DOX), and the surface of APO was modified with Au nanoshell. As a nanocarrier, APO can carry chemotherapy drug DOX (APODOX) and release drug under acidic and high temperature conditions to reduce side effects of anticancer drugs. After covering Au nanoshell (APODOX-Au), the photothermal effect can be produced because of the unique surface plasmon resonance properties of gold nanoshell. This nanoplatform also provides the multi-stimuli responsive drug release system, which can achieve drug release in different conditions and have great potential in biomedical applications. Our investigation has demonstrated that APODOX-Au has good stability, high dispersibility and biocompatibility in vitro. The strong near-infrared absorption and good photothermal effect make sure the quick response to environmental changes (pH, temperature) to achieve drug release. These findings indicate that these nanoparticles have a potential application value in cancer treatment.

pH/hypoxia programmable triggered cancer photo-chemotherapy based on a semiconducting polymer dot hybridized mesoporous silica framework

Although photothermal therapy (PTT) has become a compelling strategy for cancer therapy, few studies concern the physiological consequences of PTT ablation. Herein, we discover that PTT-induced hyperthermia can aggravate tumor hypoxia, which may increase the risk of tumor recurrence and reduce PTT efficacy. We thus integrated the pH/hypoxia-triggered Fe(iii)-banoxantrone (AQ4N) prodrug and semiconducting polymer dots (SPs) for programmable triggered cancer photothermal-chemotherapy. A SP-hybridized mesoporous silica framework, decorated by dopamine and polyethylene glycol, named PPMSF, was synthesized by a simple method, and then served as an efficient photo-absorbing agent (PTA) and drug carrier. Fe(iii)-AQ4N and Mn(ii) were then coordinated with PPMSF (abbreviated Mn-APPMSF) via coordination effects. The nanohybrids exhibited tumor micro-environment pH triggered drug release. Under the irradiation of NIR light, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tracked the accumulation of the nanohybrids in tumors which then destroyed tumor cells by local hyperthermia, this can consequently aggravate the tumor hypoxia levels. Intriguingly, the aggravated hypoxia can further enhance the reduction of AQ4N to significantly improve therapeutic efficacy and effectively inhibit tumor growth when compared with traditional PTT. These results indicate the potential of our nanohybrids as a programmable synergistic agent for cancer therapy.

Multifunctional System Polyaniline-Decorated ZIF-8 Nanoparticles as a New Chemo-Photothermal Platform for Cancer Therapy

Polyaniline-decorated ZIF-8 nanoparticles (nPANI@nZIF-8) were easily synthesized and employed as a multifunctional system for the delivery of the antitumor drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Because of the storage ability of the network ZIF-8, 68% of the total amount of the 5-FU drug was released at pH 5.2. The system exhibits absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region and can be used in the photothermal therapy owing to the presence of nPANI, which has a strong NIR uptake. This absorption causes local hyperthermia by aiding in the diffusion of the drug molecules contained by the polymer into nPANI@nZIF-8/5-FU achieving a greater release of the 5-FU drug, about 80% activated by an NIR laser (λ = 980 nm). This hyperthermia reached about 70 °C (200 μL, 1 mg mL-1 nPANI@nZIF-8), which was directly proportional to the concentration of the material. Therefore, our work can aid in the construction of new chemo-photothermal platforms that may be employed in cancer therapy.

Fabrication of multifunctional triple-responsive platform based on CuS-capped periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles for chemo-photothermal therapy

INTRODUCTION

For an ideal drug delivery system, the outstanding drug-loading capacity and specific control of the release of therapeutics at the desired lesions are crucial. In this work, we developed a triple-responsive nanoplatform based on copper sulfide (CuS)-capped yolk-shell-structured periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (YSPMOs) for synergetic chemo-photothermal therapy.

METHODS

Herein, the YSPMOs were employed as a drug carrier, which exhibited a high doxorubicin (DOX) loading capacity of 386 mg/g. In this controlled-release drug delivery system, CuS serves as a gatekeeper to modify YSPMOs with reduction-cleavable disulfide bond (YSPMOs@CuS). CuS could not only avoid premature leakage in the delivery process, but also endowed the excellent photothermal therapy (PTT) ability.

RESULTS

Upon entering into cancer cells, the CuS gatekeeper was opened with the breaking of disulfide bonds and the DOX release from YSPMOs(DOX)@CuS in response to the intracellular acidic environment and external laser irradiation. Such a precise control over drug release, combined with the photothermal effect of CuS nanoparticles, is possessed by synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental data indicated that the synergistic effect of YSPMOs(DOX)@CuS showed efficient antitumor effect. In addition, low systemic toxicity was observed in the pathologic examinations of liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

CONCLUSION

This versatile nanoplatform combination of PTT, chemotherapeutics, and gating components shows general potential for designing multifunctional drug delivery systems.

Silica-based organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles and nanoconjugates for improved anticancer drug delivery

After the introduction of first generation MSNs for drug delivery with some challenges such as large particle sizes, irregular morphologies and aggregations, second generation provided uniform spherical morphologies, tunable pore/particle sizes and compositions. Henceforth, organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous silica nanosystems have grown rapidly and utilized for active and passive targeting of tumorigenic cells especially conjugated with organic polymers followed by third generation counterparts with improved functionalities for cancer therapy. The aim of this review article is to focus on the advancements in mesoporous silica based organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles developed as drug carriers targeting cancer cells. Brief introduction to the state-of-the-art in passive and active targeting methods is presented. Specifically, therapeutic, diagnostic and theranostic applications are discussed with emphases on triggered and ligand conjugated organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous silica nanomaterials. Although mesoporous silica nanoparticles perform well in preclinical tests, clinical translation progresses slowly as appropriate doses needs to be evaluated for human use along with biocompatibility and efficiency depending on surface modifications.

Multifunctional near-infrared light-triggered biodegradable micelles for chemo- and photo-thermal combination therapy

A combination of chemo- and photo-thermal therapy (PTT) has provided a promising efficient approach for cancer therapy. To achieve the superior synergistic chemotherapeutic effect with PTT, the development of a simple theranostic nanoplatform that can provide both cancer imaging and a spatial-temporal synchronism of both therapeutic approaches are highly desired. Our previous study has demonstrated that near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered biodegradable chitosan-based amphiphilic block copolymer micelles (SNSC) containing light-sensitive 2-nitrobenzyl alcohol and NIR dye cypate on the hydrophobic block could be used for fast light-triggered drug release. In this study, we conjugated the SNSC micelles with tumor targeting ligand c(RGDyK) and also encapsulated antitumor drug Paclitaxel (PTX). The results show that c(RGDyK)-modified micelles could enhance the targeting and residence time in tumor site, as well as be capable performing high temperature response for PTT on cancer cells and two-photon photolysis for fast release of anticancer drugs under NIR irradiation. In vitro release profiles show a significant controlled release effort that the release concentration of PTX from micelles was significantly increased with the exposure of NIR light. In vitro and in vivo antitumor studies demonstrate that, compared with chemo or PTT treatment alone, the combined treatment with the local exposure of NIR light exhibited significantly enhanced anti-tumor efficiency. These findings indicate that this system exhibited great potential in tumor-targeting imaging and synchronous chemo- and photo-thermal therapy.

Porous Electrospun Fibers with Self-Sealing Functionality: An Enabling Strategy for Trapping Biomacromolecules

Stimuli-responsive porous polymer materials have promising biomedical application due to their ability to trap and release biomacromolecules. In this work, a class of highly porous electrospun fibers is designed using polylactide as the polymer matrix and poly(ethylene oxide) as a porogen. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different concentrations are further impregnated onto the fibers to achieve self-sealing functionality induced by photothermal conversion upon light irradiation. The fibers with 0.4 mg mL-1 of CNTs exhibit the optimum encapsulation efficiency of model biomacromolecules such as dextran, bovine serum albumin, and nucleic acids, although their photothermal conversion ability is slightly lower than the fibers with 0.8 mg mL-1 of CNTs. Interestingly, reversible reopening of the surface pores is accomplished with the degradation of PLA, affording a further possibility for sustained release of biomacromolecules after encapsulation. Effects of CNT loading on fiber morphology, structure, thermal/mechanical properties, degradation, and cell viability are also investigated. This novel class of porous electrospun fibers with self-sealing capability has great potential to serve as an enabling strategy for trapping/release of biomacromolecules with promising applications in, for example, preventing inflammatory diseases by scavenging cytokines from interstitial body fluids.

GPVI‑Fc‑PEG improves cerebral infarct volume and cerebral thrombosis in mouse model with cerebral thrombosis

Cerebral thrombosis is one of the most common causes of cerebral infarction, and anticoagulation therapy is a routine treatment in patients with hemorrhagic cerebral venous thrombosis. The hemostatic function of platelets is important for the anticoagulation therapy of thrombosis. Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is reported as the major signaling receptor for collagen and is exclusively expressed on platelets and megakaryocytes, initiating platelet recruitment at sites of vascular injury and demonstrating numerous beneficial effects for patients with cerebral thrombosis. In the present study, thrombus formation and platelet adhesion following endothelial injury was monitored in the jugular vein by intra‑vital fluorescence microscopy. The morphological and clinical observations of cerebral thrombosis were investigated and analyzed in a mouse model with cerebral thrombosis. In addition, the present study investigated the effect of fusion protein GPVI modified with Fc and PEG, which is specifically linked to the extracellular domain of GPVI (GPVI‑Fc‑PEG), on thrombus formation following vessel wall injury and on experimental mice with cerebral thrombosis. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was identified as 0.18 mg. GPVI‑Fc‑PEG competitively bound to and prevented von Willebrand Factor‑collagen interactions. The results of the present study demonstrated that cerebral thrombosis was greatly relieved and improved functional outcomes treatment with an MTD of GPVI‑Fc‑PEG following endothelial injury, compared with GPVI‑Fc‑treated mice. In addition, cerebral edema and infarct size was improved compared with GPVI‑Fc‑treated mice with ischemic stroke immediately prior to reperfusion. Furthermore, treatment of GPVI‑Fc‑PEG led to increased reperfusion and improved survival following cerebral thrombosis compared with treatment with either single agent alone. Taken together, GPVI‑Fc‑PEG relieved cerebral thrombosis following ischemic stroke and improved prognostic preclinical outcomes without intracranial bleeding, which suggested that GPVI‑Fc‑PEG may be a potential candidate for cerebral thrombosis therapy.

Redox-Responsive Polysulfide-Based Biodegradable Organosilica Nanoparticles for Delivery of Bioactive Agents

Design and development of silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) with a controlled degradation profile promises effective drug delivery with a predetermined carrier elimination profile. In this research, we fabricated a series of redox-responsive polysulfide-based biodegradable SiO2 NPs with low polydispersity and with variations in size (average diameters of 58 ± 7, 108 ± 11, 110 ± 9, 124 ± 9, and 332 ± 6 nm), porosity, and composition (disulfide vs tetrasulfide bonds). The degradation kinetics of the nanoparticles was analyzed in the presence of 8 mM glutathione (GSH), mimicking the intracellular reducing condition. Results indicate that porosity and core composition play the predominant roles in the degradation rate of these nanoparticles. The 108 nm mesoporous disulfide-based nanoparticles showed the highest degradation rate among all the synthesized nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that nonporous nanoparticles undergo surface erosion, while porous nanoparticles undergo both surface and bulk erosion under reducing environment. The cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles in RAW 264.7 macrophages was evaluated. Results show that all these nanoparticles with the IC50 values ranging from 233 ± 42 to 705 ± 17 μg mL-1 do not have cytotoxic effect in macrophages at concentrations less than 125 μg mL-1. The degradation products of these nanoparticles collected within 15 days did not show cytotoxicity in the same macrophage cell line after 24 h of incubation. In vitro doxorubicin (DOX) release was examined in 108 nm mesoporous disulfide-based nanoparticles in the absence and presence of 8 mM GSH. It was shown that drug release depends on intracellular reducing conditions. Due to their ease of synthesis and scale up, robust structure, and the ability to control size, composition, release, and elimination, biodegradable SiO2 NPs provide an alternative platform for delivery of bioactive and imaging agents.

Compound Copper Chalcogenide Nanocrystals

This review captures the synthesis, assembly, properties, and applications of copper chalcogenide NCs, which have achieved significant research interest in the last decade due to their compositional and structural versatility. The outstanding functional properties of these materials stems from the relationship between their band structure and defect concentration, including charge carrier concentration and electronic conductivity character, which consequently affects their optoelectronic, optical, and plasmonic properties. This, combined with several metastable crystal phases and stoichiometries and the low energy of formation of defects, makes the reproducible synthesis of these materials, with tunable parameters, remarkable. Further to this, the review captures the progress of the hierarchical assembly of these NCs, which bridges the link between their discrete and collective properties. Their ubiquitous application set has cross-cut energy conversion (photovoltaics, photocatalysis, thermoelectrics), energy storage (lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen generation), emissive materials (plasmonics, LEDs, biolabelling), sensors (electrochemical, biochemical), biomedical devices (magnetic resonance imaging, X-ray computer tomography), and medical therapies (photochemothermal therapies, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and drug delivery). The confluence of advances in the synthesis, assembly, and application of these NCs in the past decade has the potential to significantly impact society, both economically and environmentally.

Drug-loaded liposome-capped mesoporous core-shell magnetic nanoparticles for cellular toxicity study

Liposome-capped core-shell mesoporous silica-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles called 'magnetic protocells' were prepared as novel nanocomposites and used for loading anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) for cellular toxicity study. Cytotoxicity of the magnetic protocells with or without DOX was tested in vitro on commercial MCF7 and U87 cell lines under alternating magnetic field. MCF7 cell line treated with the DOX-loaded nanoparticles under alternating magnetic field exhibited nearly 20% lower survival rate after 24 h compared with cells treated with free DOX and similarly, it was around 24% when applied to U87. The results indicate that the magnetic protocells could be useful for future cancer treatment in vivo by the combination of targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia.

Magnetically targeted delivery of DOX loaded Cu9S5@mSiO2@Fe3O4-PEG nanocomposites for combined MR imaging and chemo/photothermal synergistic therapy

The combination of multi-theranostic modes in a controlled fashion has received tremendous attention for the construction of cooperative therapeutic systems in nanomedicine. Herein, we have synthesized a smart magnetically targeted nanocarrier system, Cu9S5@mSiO2@Fe3O4-PEG (labelled as CMF), which integrates NIR triggered photothermal therapy, pH/NIR-responsive chemotherapy and MR imaging into one nanoplatform to enhance the therapeutic efficacy. This new multifunctional paradigm has a uniform and monodisperse sesame ball-like structure by decorating tiny Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the surface of Cu9S5@mSiO2 before a further PEG modification to improve its hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. With doxorubicin (DOX) payload, the as-obtained CMF-DOX composites can simultaneously provide an intense heating effect and enhanced DOX release upon 980 nm NIR light exposure, achieving a combined chemo/photothermal therapy. Under the influence of an external magnetic field, the magnetically targeted synergistic therapeutic effect of CMF-DOX can lead to highly superior inhibition of animal H22 tumor in vivo when compared to any of the single approaches alone. The results revealed that this Cu9S5 based magnetically targeted chemo/photothermal synergistic nanocarrier system has great promise in future MR imaging assisted tumor targeted therapy of cancer.

Copper-Based Nanomaterials for Cancer Imaging and Therapy

Copper based nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted increased attention for biomedical applications. Copper chalcogenide NPs exhibit strong absorption in near-infrared region, demonstrate highly efficient light-to-heat transformation under near-infrared laser irradiation, and cause selective thermal destruction to the tumor. Smaller copper NPs display fluorescence signal and capability for optical imaging. Copper based NPs also serve as a versatile vehicle for drug delivery and image-guided therapy. This review covers recent advances related to the biomedical application of copper based NPs, with a focus on cancer imaging and therapy. We also discuss challenges to their successful clinical translation.

Functional nanomaterials for near-infrared-triggered cancer therapy

The near-infrared (NIR) region (700-1100 nm) is the so-called transparency "therapeutic window" for biological applications owing to its deeper tissue penetration and minimal damage to healthy tissues. In recent years, various NIR-based therapeutic and interventional strategies, such as NIR-triggered drug delivery, photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT), are under research in intensive preclinical and clinical investigations for cancer treatment. The NIR control in these cancer therapy systems is considered crucial to boost local effective tumor suppression while minimizing side effects, resulting in improved therapeutic efficacy. Some researchers even predict the NIR-triggered cancer therapy to be a new and exciting possibility for clinical nanomedicine applications. In this review, the rapid development of NIR light-responsive cancer therapy based on various smartly designed nanocomposites for deep tumor treatments is introduced. In detail, the use of NIR-sensitive materials for chemotherapy, PTT as well as PDT is highlighted, and the associated challenges and potential solutions are discussed. The applications of NIR-sensitive cancer therapy modalities summarized here can highlight their potential use as promising nanoagents for deep tumor therapy.

"Combo" nanomedicine: Co-delivery of multi-modal therapeutics for efficient, targeted, and safe cancer therapy

The dynamic and versatile nature of diseases such as cancer has been a pivotal challenge for developing efficient and safe therapies. Cancer treatments using a single therapeutic agent often result in limited clinical outcomes due to tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance. Combination therapies using multiple therapeutic modalities can synergistically elevate anti-cancer activity while lowering doses of each agent, hence, reducing side effects. Co-administration of multiple therapeutic agents requires a delivery platform that can normalize pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the agents, prolong circulation, selectively accumulate, specifically bind to the target, and enable controlled release in target site. Nanomaterials, such as polymeric nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles/cages/shells, and carbon nanomaterials, have the desired properties, and they can mediate therapeutic effects different from those generated by small molecule drugs (e.g., gene therapy, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and radiotherapy). This review aims to provide an overview of developing multi-modal therapies using nanomaterials ("combo" nanomedicine) along with the rationale, up-to-date progress, further considerations, and the crucial roles of interdisciplinary approaches.

Enhanced immunotherapy of SM5-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma by conjugating with gold nanoparticles and its in vivo bioluminescence tomographic evaluation

SM5-1 is a humanized mouse monoclonal antibody, targeting an over-expressed membrane protein of approximately 230 kDa in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SM5-1 can be used for target therapy in hepatocellular carinoma due to its ability of inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis. However, the tumor inhibition efficacy of SM5-1 in HCC cancer treatment remains low. In this study, we synthesized SM5-1-conjugated gold nanoparticles (Au-SM5-1 NPs) and investigated their anticancer efficacy in HCC both in vitro and in vivo. The tumor inhibition rates of Au-SM5-1 NPs for subcutaneous tumor mice were 40.10% ± 4.34%, 31.37% ± 5.12%, and 30.63% ± 4.87% on day 12, 18, and 24 post-treatment as determined by bioluminescent intensity. In addition, we investigated the antitumor efficacy of Au-SM5-1 NPs in orthotopic HCC tumor models. The results showed that the inhibition rates of Au-SM5-1 NPs can reach up to 39.64% ± 4.87% on day 31 post-treatment determined by the bioluminescent intensity of the abdomen in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, three-dimensional reconstruction results of the orthotopic tumor revealed that Au-SM5-1 NPs significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with SM5-1 alone. Our results suggested that the developed Au-SM5-1 NPs has great potential as an antibody-based nano-drug for HCC therapy.

Combination therapeutics of doxorubicin with Fe3O4@chitosan@phytic acid nanoparticles for multi-responsive drug delivery

Fe₃O₄@CS nanoparticles as the precursors were encapsulated by PA, developing Fe₃O₄@CS@PA nanocarriers with high drug loading efficiency, outstanding magnetic saturation, remarkable pH-response and obvious inhibition to tumor cells.

Janus Au–mesoporous silica nanocarriers for chemo-photothermal treatment of liver cancer cells

Synthesis of novel Janus Au–mesoporous silica nanocarriers for the effective and safe chemo-photothermal treatment of liver cancer cells.

SPION@Cu2−xS nanoclusters for highly sensitive MRI and targeted photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

The diagnostic function of SPIONs and photo-thermal therapeutic function of CuS NPs have been incorporated into a single nanoplatform for biomedical applications.

Multifunctional human serum albumin-modified reduced graphene oxide for targeted photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Multifunctional human serum albumin-modified reduced graphene oxide can specifically target HCC cells and effectively kill them with the help of a NIR laser.

Recent Advance on Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles-Based Controlled Release System: Intelligent Switches Open up New Horizon

Mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN)-based intelligent transport systems have attracted many researchers' attention due to the characteristics of uniform pore and particle size distribution, good biocompatibility, high surface area, and versatile functionalization, which have led to their widespread application in diverse areas. In the past two decades, many kinds of smart controlled release systems were prepared with the development of brilliant nano-switches. This article reviews and discusses the advantages of MSN-based controlled release systems. Meanwhile, the switching mechanisms based on different types of stimulus response are systematically analyzed and summarized. Additionally, the application fields of these devices are further discussed. Obviously, the recent evolution of smart nano-switches promoted the upgrading of the controlled release system from the simple "separated" switch to the reversible, multifunctional, complicated logical switches and selective switches. Especially the free-blockage switches, which are based on hydrophobic/hydrophilic conversion, have been proposed and designed in the last two years. The prospects and directions of this research field are also briefly addressed, which could be better used to promote the further development of this field to meet the needs of mankind.

A dual pH/thermal responsive nanocarrier for combined chemo-thermotherapy based on a copper-doxorubicin complex and gold nanorods

The development of treatment protocols that results in a complete response to chemotherapy has been hampered by low efficacy and systemic toxicity. Here, we created a pH sensitive copper-doxorubicin complex within the core of temperature-sensitive liposomes to maintain the stability during blood circulation and trigger Dox release in the tumor site. Synergistically, we also rationally applied gold nanorods (AuNRs) coupled with near-infrared (NIR) field strength to produce a precise and localized temperature, which not only remotely controlled the drug release but also directly destroyed the tumor, to enhance the therapeutic efficacy. As expected, the in vitro release studies showed that the drug release from CuDox-TSLs (Copper ion mediated Doxorubicin loading-Temperature Sensitive Liposomes) was both pH-dependent and temperature-dependent. Furthermore, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide) assays showed that CuDox-TSLs combined with AuNRs exhibited a closer antiproliferative activity to free Dox in MCF-7 cells. The efficient intracellular Dox release from CuDox-TSLs toward the tumor cells further confirmed the anti-tumor effect. Moreover, the in vivo imaging and biodistribution studies revealed that CuDox-TSLs combined with AuNRs could actively target the tumor site. In addition, the therapeutic studies in MCF-7 nude mice exhibited CuDox-TSLs plus AuNRs in combination with NIR irradiation inhibited tumor growth to a great extent and possessed much lower side effects, which were further confirmed by systemic histological analyses. All detailed evidence suggested a considerable potential of CuDox-TSLs combined with AuNRs for treatment of metastatic cancer.

An NIR-triggered and thermally responsive drug delivery platform through DNA/copper sulfide gates

Nanomaterials for effective drug delivery require zero pre-release and on-demand release of therapeutic drugs. In this work we demonstrate a novel drug delivery system composed of a mesoporous silica platform conjugated to CuS nanoparticles with two complementary DNA sequences. CuS nanoparticles act as both gatekeepers preventing pre-release of drugs and photothermal agents for effective killing of cancer cells. This system exhibits temperature and NIR-responsive DOX release, with an additional accelerated release rate with GSH treatment. Therefore, it can act as an effective anticancer drug delivery carrier with triggered drug release and efficient anti-cancer effect in vitro after NIR irradiation.

Composite silica coated gold nanosphere and quantum dots nanoparticles for X-ray CT and fluorescence bimodal imaging

A composite nanoparticle containing QDs and Au was fabricated, and it was used for CT and fluorescence dual mode imaging simultaneously.